EMPLOYEE RIGHT-TO-KNOW POLICY

The County of Renville has committed to comply with the intent and spirit of the Hazard Communication Standard outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200 as well as the Minnesota Statute governing Employee Right to Know, 5206.0100 thru 5206.1200.

The procedures outlined in this section are designed to insure that all departments and employees are in, and will remain in, compliance with the above mentioned laws. Furthermore, the components that constitute this section define procedures for: 1) Definitions 2) Material Safety Data Sheets (M.S.D.S.) 3) List of Hazardous Chemicals and Substances Present 4) Labeling (H.M.I.S./N.F.P.A.) 5) Employee Access and Information System 6) Harmful Physical Agents 7) Contract Workers 8) Training

The procedures for some components found in this section may be expanded in other sections of the Safety Manual.

DEFINITIONS "Carcinogen:" A chemical is considered to be a carcinogen if: a) It has been evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and found to be a carcinogen or potential carcinogen; or b) It is listed as a carcinogen or potential carcinogen in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) (latest edition); or, c) It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen. "Corrosive:" A chemical that causes visible destruction of, or irreversible alterations in, living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact. For example, a chemical is considered to be corrosive if, when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the method described by the U.S. Department of Transportation in appendix A to 49 CFR part 173, it destroys or changes irreversibly the structure of the tissue at the site of contact following an exposure period of four hours. This term shall not refer to action on inanimate surfaces. "Highly toxic:" A chemical falling within any of the following categories: a) A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of 50 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each. b) A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of 200 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours) with the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between two and three kilograms each. c) A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC(50)) in air of 200 parts per million by volume or less of gas or vapor, or 2 milligrams per liter or less of mist, fume, or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs within one hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each. "Irritant:" A chemical, which is not corrosive, but which causes a reversible inflammatory effect on living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact. A chemical is a skin irritant if, when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the methods of 16 CFR 1500.41 for four hours exposure or by other appropriate techniques, it results in an empirical score of five or more. A chemical is an eye irritant if so determined under the procedure listed in 16 CFR 1500.42 or other appropriate techniques. "Sensitizer:" A chemical that causes a substantial proportion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to the chemical. "Target organ effects." The following is a target organ categorization of effects which may occur, including examples of signs and symptoms and chemicals which have been found to cause such effects. These examples are presented to illustrate the range and diversity of effects and hazards found in the workplace, and the broad scope employers must consider in this area, but are not intended to be all-inclusive.

a) Hepatotoxins: Chemicals which produce liver damage - Signs & Symptoms: Jaundice; liver enlargement - Chemicals: Carbon tetrachloride; nitrosamines b) Nephrotoxins: Chemicals which produce kidney damage - Signs & Symptoms: Edema; proteinuria - Chemicals: Halogenated hydrocarbons; uranium c) Neurotoxins: Chemicals which produce their primary toxic effects on the nervous system - Signs & Symptoms: Narcosis; behavioral changes; decrease in motor functions - Chemicals: Mercury; carbon disulfide d) Agents which act on the blood or hemato-poietic system: Decrease hemoglobin function; deprive the body tissues of oxygen - Signs & Symptoms: Cyanosis; loss of consciousness - Chemicals: Carbon monoxide; syanides e) Agents which damage the lung: Chemicals which irritate or damage pulmonary tissue - Signs & Symptoms: Cough; tightness in chest; shortness of breath - Chemicals: Silica; asbestos f) Reproductive toxins: Chemicals which affect the reproductive capabilities including chromosomal damage (mutations) and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis) - Signs & Symptoms: Birth defects; sterility - Chemicals: Lead; DBCP g) Cutaneous hazards: Chemicals which affect the dermal layer of the body Signs & Symptoms: Defatting of the skin; rashes; irritation - Chemicals: Ketones; chlorinated compounds h) Eye hazards: Chemicals which affect the eye or visual capacity - Signs & Symptoms: Conjunctivitis; corneal damage - Chemicals: Organic solvents; acids "Toxic." A chemical falling within any of the following categories: a) A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of more than 50 milligrams per kilogram but not more than 500 milligrams per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each. b) A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of more than 200 milligrams per kilogram but not more than 1,000 milligrams per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours) with the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between two and three kilograms each. c) A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC(50)) in air of more than 200 parts per million but not more than 2,000 parts per million by volume of gas or vapor, or more than two milligrams per liter but not more than 20 milligrams per liter of mist, fume, or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs within one hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.

CHEMICAL LIST (INDEX) The MSDS manuals will contain lists of hazardous substances found in our facilities. These lists will be numbered sequentially, as will the corresponding MSDS's, with each chemical name found on the list to be highlighted on the corresponding MSDS's. Under each general grouping of chemicals/substances, several sequential numbers will intentionally be left blank in order to accommodate future chemicals/substances. The chemical/substance list, as well as the corresponding MSDS's are reviewed (at a minimum) bimonthly by the Safety coordinator and/or SafeAssure Consultants by using a current inventory listing of chemicals/substances on hand, for accuracy. Corrections will also be made, as required, and attested to by the above personnel.

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are documents that provide us with specific information on the properties of the hazardous chemical or substance for which they are written. These documents must be shipped by the supplier with the initial order of any substance and/or chemical known to pose a health hazard to employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to them. In the event we do not receive an MSDS with the initial order, we must request one immediately from the supplier. Typically, the suppliers web site, telephone, or address will be printed somewhere on the product. The MSDS manuals including the required MSDS lists are located in the areas where chemicals are used and/or stored. MSDS's are available to employees at any time during normal working hours, or their designated representative upon written request. Renville County locations of MSDS manuals and those responsible for their upkeep Main Offices and all outlying shops workbenches

Public Works

Boiler Rooms/Office Court house & Office Building

Custodians

Office file cabinet

Landfill

Material Safety Data Sheets may be obtained from the Internet. Go to: www.damarco.com ; click on “MSDS Access”; Login: safeassure ; and Password: msds . Leave the Company as “Global Search”, then enter the product name in “Word Search”, and hit “Search”. Under “Type”, click on the Adobe symbol (the one that looks like a little red airplane in a box) to bring up the MSDS for the exact product you are looking for (if nothing comes up, contact MIS for assistance). Check out the “search tips” if you need more information on doing your search. You can also call the Right-To-Know hotline toll-free at 1-877-451-6919 to request a specific MSDS or to speak to a medical professional.

LABELS AND OTHER FORMS OF WARNING We have chosen to use HMIS* and NFPA* labels to identify hazardous materials in the work place. A completed label must contain, at a minimum, the following information: A) B) C)

Chemical Name MSDS Number from manual Index Hazard Warning

An older style HMIS® label is shown below on the left. In the April 2002 release of HMIS® III the yellow Reactivity section was replaced with an orange Physical Hazard section as shown below on the right.

Other aspects and specific sections of an HMIS® label can be found on the following link: http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/hmis.html The familiar Nation Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) "hazard diamond" below is known to stand for health, flammability, and instability. Specifics about this symbol can be found on the following link: http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/nfpa.html

The safety coordinator, SafeAssure Consultants and all employees are responsible to insure that all hazardous materials in the work place have the proper, completed labels visibly attached. All employees have these labels available to them when required. Shipping & receiving personnel are responsible to insure all incoming hazardous materials (bulk) have the proper labels affixed. Labels that are illegible, defaced, or in any other way unreadable will be replaced. Containers must be stored in such a manner that the label is always visible. Chemicals transferred from a labeled container to a portable container require that the portable container also be labeled unless the portable container is for immediate use. Immediate use containers, described below, need not be labeled. IMMEDIATE USE CONTAINER: Means a container into which substances are transferred from labeled containers, and which will be under the control of, and used only by the person who transfers it from a labeled container, and only within the work shift in which it is transferred. This applies to containers such as plastic bottles, drums, vials, pitchers, pails, or similar containers, which are routinely used and reused.

TRAINING Any employee who is routinely exposed to, or has the potential of being exposed to any hazardous substance, will receive training in one or two phases. Phase one training will consist of the following: A. General Training (This training will be repeated annually or as required.) 1. Methods and observations used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous substance in the work area. 2. Physical and health hazards of substances in the work area. 3. Measures employees can take to protect themselves from exposure to hazardous substances and specific procedures we have implemented to protect employees from exposure. 4. Details of our Hazard Communication Program. 5. Description of the labeling system. 6. Explanation of Material Safety Data Sheets 7. How employees can obtain and use the appropriate hazard information. 8. The location and availability of all exposure records (past and present), medical records, and MSDS. 9. The hazards of non-routine tasks. B. Specific Training This training will target the specific hazardous substances associated with each job function and/or work group whereby employees are known to be exposed. This training will consist of the following: the name or names of the substance including any generic or chemical name, trade name, and commonly used name; the level, at which exposure to the substance has been restricted; the primary routes of entry and the known acute and chronic effects of exposure at hazardous levels; the known symptoms of the effects; any potential for flammability, explosion, or reactivity of the substance; appropriate emergency treatment; the known proper conditions for use of exposure to the substance; procedures for cleanup of leaks and spills; the name, phone number, and address of a manufacturer of the hazardous substance; and the location of the MSDS.

SPECIFIC TRAINING PRODUCT/CHEMICAL LIST Although there are many other chemicals we periodically train on and discuss, there are some products with hazardous substances we work with on a daily basis or are considered extremely hazardous. Please review the appropriate MSDS before working with new chemicals. The following chemical substances/products will be formally trained on, at a minimum, annually. • Herbicides • Pesticides • HACH Chemicals All other “occasional use” products will be trained on and discussed “on the job” between the supervisor and employee. Note: If there are any additional questions or concerns, please consult the Safety Coordinator or SafeAssure Consultants.

NON-ROUTINE TASKS The safety coordinator or the supervisor will conduct special training sessions any time: A) A new hazard is introduced into the work place, or B) Our process changes, or C) Non-routine tasks are required, or D) An employee's job function or worksite location changes. This training will be accomplished and documented prior to any of the above conditions taking place.

CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES The safety coordinator or supervisor will advise outside contractors in person and in writing, of any hazardous substances that may be encountered in the normal course of their work on the premises, the labeling system in use, the protective measures to be taken on the premises, and the safe handling procedures required. In addition, the safety coordinator or supervisor will notify those individuals of the location and availability of MSDS's. Each contractor bringing in additional hazardous substances will provide MSDS's for those substances he/she possesses. This will include labels used, and the precautionary measures to be taken in working with these substances.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All employees, or their designated representatives, can obtain further information on this written program, the Employee Right to Know standard, applicable MSDS's and hazardous substance information lists by contacting the safety coordinator or SafeAssure Consultants.

HARMFUL PHYSICAL AGENTS In addition to the procedures outlined for hazardous substances, all employees must be aware of, and trained on, our procedures regarding infectious agents and harmful physical agents. These are: A. Harmful Physical Agents 1. Radiation/Heat a. Microwaves b. Welding c. Ultraviolet Rays (sun) 2. Noise B. Infectious Agents 1. Bloodborne Pathogens in the form of: a. HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) b. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus Each element on the harmful physical agent list that applies will be addressed with a policy and procedures under its own section in this manual. This also applies to infectious agents. (See sections titled "Hearing Conservation" “Bloodborne Pathogens”, and "Personal Protective Equipment".)

EMPLOYEE RIGHT-TO-KNOW QUIZ Name__________________________________

Score__________

Department______________________________

Position________________________________

1. What does M.S.D.S stand for______________________________________________________ 2. Name one type of hazardous chemical label used in the workplace_________________________ 3. What is the main reason for using/maintaining the Hazardous Substance list ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Where are/will the MSDS manual(s) be located ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. How long are MSDS's kept________________________________________________________ 6. What is the container called when used for “immediate use” only__________________________ 7. Is 911 always the best number to call if exposed to a hazardous chemical___________________ 8. What are three routes to which chemicals can enter the body and the common first aid procedures for each_______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 9. What are two internal organs most likely to be damaged or strained in an overexposure to a hazardous chemical _____________________________

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10. Name three types of personnel Protective Equipment used to protect ourselves from hazardous chemical exposure_______________________________________________________________

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